Force awakened early for new Star Wars film, as ticket demand already 'unprecedented'

In this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 file photo, director J.J. Abrams, third right, and actors, John Boyega, second left, Daisy Ridley, third left, and Adam Driver, second right, pose for photos during the Japan Premiere of their latest film Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Tokyo. Advance ticket sales for the weekend opening of the film in Canada are already "unprecedented," reports Cineplex.Koji Sasahara / AP

Although the advertising and cross-promotion surrounding it has been positively subtle and reserved, apparently there’s some excitement surrounding the release of a little Sundance film titled Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In fact, some might even say box office expectation and fan anticipation for this weekend’s opening is “unprecedented.”

How unprecedented? Well, Sarah Van Lange, Toronto-based director of communications at Cineplex Entertainment, the company that will be screening the film across Canada and has been deluged by the early demand for ducats, says it’s far and away unlike anything they’ve ever seen.

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“This does exceed anything we’ve seen in our history in terms of advance tickets,” Van Lange says before reiterating: “The Force Awakens is the highest demand for advance tickets that we’ve seen in our history.”

So, yes, unprecedented. And while she’s unable to get into monetary specifics at this point in time, the advance sales for this year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron was, according to Cineplex, more than $4 million, besting the previous record held by Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, which had surpassed previous holders The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

To meet the demand, last week the company added 50 per cent more screens for opening weekend, which amounts to 160 additional showtimes of the film on more than 500 screens at 115 theatres across Canada.

The company also announced that in seven centres across the country, they’ve added screenings around the clock for the first 24 hours of Episode VII’s opening, with Scotiabank Theatre Chinook being the local theatre that won’t close its doors during that time.

They will actually already be on overtime, as on Thursday morning, beginning at 4:45 a.m., they will be the local theatre hosting the Star Wars Marathon, screening all six of the previous franchise episodes on the big screen before the 7 p.m. advance screening of The Force Awakens.

“It ends up being over 20-plus hours of cinematic enjoyment,” Van Lange says, perhaps glossing over the significant amount of Jar Jar and Ewok time in those earlier films.

That said, to make sure the experience is as enjoyable as it possibly can be for everyone in attendance, Cineplex has implemented a costume policy for the screenings, with cosplay being encouraged but with it being noted that masks and toy weapons of any kind are prohibited, as well as props that could be tripping hazards.

“When you think about the logistics of what it could be, if everyone had a lightsaber at their feet, it could become quite an ordeal,” she says.

Still, Van Lange thinks those minor constraints won’t dampen the mood of filmgoers, with the diehards expected to descend upon theatres this weekend fully decked out in their finest, hoping to relive those memories from previous episode openings or recreate those feelings from a long time ago.

“That’s what this film brings up in people. I remember going to see Ewoks On Ice with my brother, and now we’re going to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens together.

“It brings up all of these nostalgic feelings of youth, and you want to see it for the first time or enjoy it with people you’re close to,” she says, noting that the demand will likely remain high for the film past opening weekend, with both those who haven’t seen yet it and those who, as with previous Star Wars films, want to “experience it again.”

“It’s certainly a cinematic event,” she says, “the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time.”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens Friday, with advance screening Thursday night at 7 p.m. There are still a few tickets remaining for the Star Wars Marathon available from Cineplex.com.

(Note: I’ll be attending the Star Wars Marathon and live-blogging and tweeting the event at calgaryherald.com and Twitter.com/mrbell_23 beginning at 4 a.m. on Thursday.)

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Force awakened early for new Star Wars film, as ticket demand already 'unprecedented'

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